Massage Research Organizations

Touch Research Institutes
University of Miami School of Medicine
P.O. Box 016820
Miami, Florida 33101
Phone: (305) 243-6781
www.miami.edu/touch-research
tfield@med.Miami.edu

The Touch Research Institute (TRI) was formed in 1992 by Director Tiffany Field, Ph.D., with a start-up grant from Johnson and Johnson. Since then, TRI in Miami and its affiliates in the Philippines and France have conducted more than 90 studies on the positive effects of massage therapy. Significant findings include enhanced growth in preemies, decreased pain, decreased autoimmune problems, and enhanced immune function. According to TRI’s Web site, its mission is to “better define touch as it promotes health and contributes to the treatment of disease.” The organization offers two-day, $400 workshops once a month in Miami. The workshops focus on research methods, and attendees receive 12 continuing education units. Massage therapists in the Miami area may contact TRI to participate in ongoing studies.

The Massage Therapy Foundation
820 Davis St., Ste. 100
Evanston, Illinois 60201
Phone: (847) 869-5019
www.massagetherapyfoundation.org

The Massage Therapy Foundation was formed in 1990 by the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), with a mission to advance the practice and use of massage therapy through grants for scientific research, community outreach and educational scholarships, available to AMTA members and non-members alike. The foundation aims to bring “the benefits of massage therapy to the broadest spectrum of society through the generation, dissemination and application of knowledge in this field,” states its Web site. The Foundation awards research grants once a year to individuals or teams conducting studies on the efficacy of massage for specific conditions and the role of massage therapy in health care. Contact the foundation for applications and deadline information.

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
6706 Democracy Blvd., Ste. 401
Bethesda, Maryland 20892-5475
Phone: (888) 644-6226
info@nccam.nih.gov
www.nccam.nih.gov

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is one of 27 institutes and centers within the National Institutes of Health. The NCCAM’s mission, according to its Web site, is to “support rigorous research on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), to train researchers in CAM, and to disseminate information to the public and professionals on which CAM modalities work, which do not, and why.” The center awards grants throughout the world to support CAM research and to provide training and career-development opportunities for predoctoral, postdoctoral and career researchers. Each year, NCCAM sets research priorities in specific areas of health, such as allergies or cardiovascular disease, in order to fill gaps in existing research. For a list of current research priorities, application and deadline information, contact the Division of Extramural Research and Training at NCCAM.

Canadian Touch Research Center
760 Saint-Zotique St. East
Montreal, Quebec
Canada H2S 1M5
Phone: (514) 272-2254
info@ccrt-ctrc.org
www.ccrt-ctrc.org

The Canadian Touch Research Center (CTRC) conducts, supports and collaborates on research aimed at pain relief, pain prevention and improved quality of life. The center’s Web site states that it is “the first in the country devoted to the knowledge advancement of massotherapy and technical touch therapies.” The CTRC works toward this goal by implementing research that evaluates the application of touch therapies for specific conditions, and publishing the results of such research. The CTRC emphasizes research pertaining to physical and physiological conditions, such as fibromyalgia, muscular performance and chronic muscular pain; psychological issues, such as bodily perception, behavior problems and stress; and human relations, such as massage in palliative care and for premature babies. For more information, or to propose a collaborative research project, contact the center.